⚖️ Policy & Equity

CARTA Gender Position

CARTA recognizes the importance of gender for development and that men and women experience barriers and opportunities differently. We are committed to gender equity in access to our training programs and governance structure.

CARTA pursues gender equity through nine key policy commitments that span fellowship allocation, support for mothers, equal pay, and zero tolerance for harassment — ensuring every researcher can thrive regardless of gender.

Our Commitments

How CARTA pursues gender equity across all its programs

01

🎯

Equitable Fellowship Allocation

Differential maximum age limits for CARTA doctoral fellowships — 45 years for female applicants and 40 years for male applicants — plus flexible post-doctoral opportunities close to home institutions.

02

🔍

Gender-Related Issue Identification

Proactively identifying and addressing gender-related issues that may impede the progress of CARTA fellows, including consideration of child-care mitigation support.

03

🤱

Maternity & Parental Support

Leave of absence for pregnant women and support for mothers with children under 14 months to attend residential training sessions with their babies and a child-minder.

04

👶

Child Support Consideration

Child support for fellows to mitigate effects on fellowship progression. Emphasis on respect for the rights of men, women and other genders in how we act and in the training we offer.

05

📊

Gender-Lens KPIs

Deployment of gender-lens KPIs that track, monitor and report on application and admissions processes, engagement, and retention for female researchers to measure policy impact.

06

🛡️

Zero Tolerance for Harassment

Promotion of an environment that is intolerant of sexual harassment, sexism and gender-based violence across all CARTA programs and institutions.

07

💰

Equal Pay Policy

Upholding of an equal pay policy for stipends and research funds for all researchers, regardless of gender or background.

08

🎙️

Media Exposure Opportunities

Facilitation of opportunities for researchers to get more exposure in media outlets — interviews, podcasts, radio, and other platforms to amplify diverse voices.

09

🔄

Continuous Review

CARTA’s Board of Management periodically reviews and updates this Position Document to ensure it remains current and responsive to any emerging issues and needs.

This position reflects CARTA’s deep commitment to ensuring that gender is never a barrier to accessing world-class research training in Africa. Every policy is designed to create a level playing field where talent and dedication determine success.